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Charles Fisher, former NBD Bank CEO, dies at 84

Charles T. "Chick" Fisher III, a former chairman and CEO of NBD Bank and a founding director of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, died Sunday. He was 84.

Fisher had spent more than 20 years at the Detroit-based bank that focused on lending to automakers and other businesses, most recently as Chairman and CEO of holding company NBD Bancorp, before handing over those positions to successor Verne Istock at the end of 1993. NBD Bancorp merged with First National Bank of Chicago to form Chicago-based First Chicago NBD Corp. in 1995.

First Chicago NBD in 1998 was acquired by Ohio-based Banc One Corp. for $29.8 billion in stock to form Bank One Corp., which is now a part of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Fisher became a vice president in 1961 at the bank his father, Charles Fisher Jr. of the Fisher automotive family, had headed for 20 years beforehis death in 1958. Three years later, the younger Fisher became executive vice president and a board member at NBD Bank He was elected its president in 1972, and then of its new holding company, National Detroit Corp., the following year.

"Mr. Fisher was the standard by which bankers measured themselves. He was a banker's banker who taught a whole generation how to serve and support their customers," Chairman-CEO David Provost of Troy-based Talmer Bank and Trust said in a statement to Crain's on Monday.

Chase in a statement Tuesday said the bank was saddened to learn of Fisher's death this week.

"Chick was a gentleman and inspirational leader to a generation of bankers and community leaders," said the bank's Michigan market president, John Carter. "He had an obvious love and commitment for Detroit, the state of Michigan, and our company. He will be deeply missed."

Fisher was also a founding director of the nonprofit Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and served as chairman of the Mackinac Bridge Authority board from 1974 to 1997.